Michigan football won the Joe Moore Award back-to-back during the 2021 and 2022 seasons. The Wolverines also won the national championship in 2023.
The offensive line was a huge part of it all. It allowed the Wolverines to be dominant on the ground, in a way that helped Michigan football finally beat Ohio State.
It's the reason you have to feel like Michigan has a chance again. Bryce Underwood is a freshman quarterback who has had some struggles. It's hard to know exactly what Michigan will get.
Underwood is still finding himself. QB development takes time. The good news, though, for Michigan football has been the development of the running game.
The pass protection has been improving too, although there were some issues against Purdue. Still, the Wolverines have rushed for over 250 yards in the last two games. The Wolverines are rushing for 223 yards per game this season with an average of 5.8 yards per attempt.
What's impressive about that is that Justice Haynes missed a large part of the Purdue game, plus two other full games. So even without its best running back, the ground game has been a success and the offensive line, plus Max Bredeson is a huge reason why.
Michigan's offensive line has been so good that it was named as a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award. Michigan likely won't win the award. It shouldn't. But the fact that the Wolverines are playing three redshirt freshmen on the offensive line and still made the list bodes well for the future.
Blake Frazier has been solid since taking over at left tackle for the injured Evan Link. Jake Guarnera is taking over as the starting center next year. Andrew Sprague has also played well for Michigan and feels like a future All-Big Ten selection.
The Wolverines will also be able to bump Link inside to guard in the future. Nathan Efobi has been good enough to start this season, so there are five starters right there. Michigan football will also have Andrew Babalola and Ty Haywood, although Babalola will be coming off an injury.
The five-star offensive tackle won't have to be rushed back. This offensive line is already one of the better units in college football, at least against the run.
With more seasoning and development, this offensive line will be elite. And it will happen before we know it, maybe not until next season, but there's no doubt that Michigan has exactly the kind of offensive line it needs for Bryce Underwood to shine.
With some time, it might even be good enough to win another national title.